Modular floor tiles have become more popular, as homeowners find it easier to remodel or extend their living spaces using commonly available tools. For example, to remodel or repair an existing patio floor, it may be necessary to remove the old flooring to ensure proper drainage. However, removing or demolishing an existing floor requires more work than a typical home do-it-yourselfer can do, not to mention the expertise needed for the drainage system.
A company in the Shibuya District, Tokyo, Japan has developed an interconnected frame system for remodeling an existing floor or deck. The company, ADVAN K.K., uses interlocking frames, on which tiles, panels or trimmings are glued, to cover an existing floor, without having to remove the existing floor. The interlocking frames essentially provide a “floating” layer of tiles so that the existing drainage can still be utilized as water drains through the gaps between the interlocking frames. As illustrated in its “DO REFORM YOURSELF” catalog, of which the contents are incorporated herein by reference, the ADVAN frame system seeks to beautify damaged or dilapidated areas by providing an overlaying cover. Each frame is 30 cm×30 cm×2.3 cm, but each frame can accommodate tiles ranging from 1, 4, or 9 pieces. More importantly, each frame, mostly made of plastic material, can be cut to fit the precise dimension of the floor space. Each frame can be interconnected with another frame using their legs and bosses underneath.
The ADVAN system, however, still has its drawbacks. First, since each frame is a flat structure with legs and bosses at the bottom, the tiles tend to shift sideways even after they are glued to the frame. Also, in the case of a 2×2 or 3×3 tile arrangement, there is a gap between each tile and between each frame, exacerbating the lateral movement of the tiles. Such gaps cannot be filled by grouting, since it would affect the drainage design, as well as cause the tiles to crack. Additionally, each frame has only limited number of legs and bosses for interconnecting points around one or two edges of the frame. In many applications, when the frame is trimmed to fit a certain dimension, no interconnection points are left, thus limiting the versatility of the frame. In many situations, after a frame is cut or trimmed into smaller pieces, the only usable piece that remains is the one still with the legs for connection with the bosses.
Another conventional modular floor system is disclosed in US Patent Application Publication by Fuccella et al., US2005/0252109. This system discloses an interconnected flooring system, which does not provide for support of the tiles or panels. Nor does it provide for varying tile designs from frame to frame. Its piece has a slanted angle and cannot be trimmed to make size adjustments.
Therefore, it is desirable to have an interlocking frame system that can support any kind of tiles or panels overlaying an existing floor surface.
It is also desirable to have an interlocking frame system that can prevent lateral shifting of the tiles on top of the interconnected frames.
It is further desirable to have an interlocking frame system that can provide a floating cover over an existing floor surface without affecting the existing drainage.